Reports out of Austria about the mother and children that were kept in a cellar are fairly positive. Of course, no matter what happens, the shock and disbelief around the case will never fade. The terrible news is that the one child who is the reason why the discovery of Elisabeth and her two other children in the cellar, is not doing well. She is in an induced coma and has only shown slight improvements. However, it seems that after all of the torture, rape and imprisonment, Elisabeth Fritlz was able to provide adequate care and love for her children. Even though they were violently thrust into her womb, it sounds like Elisabeth was able to still be a mother to them. Elisabeth Fritlz may be as wonderful as her father is terrible.

Heroes are measured on a sliding scale but if Elisabeth Fritlz was able to provide enough nurturing for her children to go on to adjust to the world three of them are seeing for the first time, she is extremely heroic. I think it is beautiful to see a display of motherly love in a world where there are constantly stories about women that murder their children or abandon them. This woman found enough love in her heart to care for children that were products of rapes enacted by her father. I think that is a remarkable and admirable feat.

It seems that Joseph Fritlz began planning the cellar soon after he started raping his daughter. From 1978 on Fritlz was constructing this cellar, making it a twisting and winding maze that included several different doors. As details continue to come out, it seems that Rosemarie Fritlz was not as suspect as she may have seemed in the beginning. Fritlz obviously had a very cold and calculating plan in his mind long before he imprisoned his daughter. Did he build the cellar specifically to hold his daughter captive? What a scary thought.

The three children that have never seen sunlight before are adjusting to it and it sounds like Rosemarie and Elisabeth are trying to help the children live a livable life. Of course, Elisabeth has been out of the world for a very long time but she had a basis in it before she was taken away. Hopefully that old habits of living day to day comeback with ease.

Meanwhile it seems that Joseph Fritlz has stopped cooperating with the police and refuses to talk or leave his cell. He has not officially been charged with anything but charges should be coming soon. What type of punishment can you give a man that has cause such harm? Many will call for his death but a man like Fritlz may be getting off easy with death.

A parent’s love or hate can create or destroy a child. This story of the cellar of horrors is sad and sicken but if the victims have a chance of merging into society somehow, then Fritlz has lost and Elisabeth has won. Yes he stole so many precious years but if she was able to give her children the basics that they need to survive, she has defeated her father, finally.

8 Comment(s)

Thank you for this post! Elisabeth is truly an amazing person. I am searching news reports on her progress and avoiding stories about her tormentor, the imprisonment, or the monster’s latest braying. I was so happy to find this blog commentary on Elisabeth’s strength. My heart is so touched by her strength. Please dear media, stop refering to her as a sex slave it only serves to put her in that dungeon again. Lets forget about the monster and hope he is locked up and forgotten about and never let out again. If Elisabeth wants to, she will be able to write about her experiences in recovery and her journey to normal life someday. I will buy the first copy of many sold that will make her a very rich woman. In the meantime, I hope she will send the world little bits of news to tell us she and her beautiful children are making progress.

I have been following this story since I heard about it. Thank you so much for the update on Elisabeth, I hope that she continues to get stronger and stronger everyday. This is a very brave woman. On this date 12-05-2008 I view her as a hero not as a victim.

Thank you for this post, Melanie. We need more positive words about this story because, even though it is a horrific story of abuse, it is also a story about hope, about the strength of the human spirit. I have found Elisabeth an absolute inspiration, that after so long locked up, after everything she has endured during 24 long years in captivity, she was still able to care so deeply for her children it’s amazing, to say the least. I can’t stop thinking about the note she snuck into Kirstin’s pocket, willing her to stay strong! That woman and her children deserve nothing less than the best life has to offer, I wish them luck and hope all their whishes come true.

I am very happy to see that many people have been watching this story for good news instead of horrific details. Although it will probably take years of therapy, I have faith that Elisabeth and her children will find a way to find some type of happiness.

Certainly Elisabeth is the victor. She is the mother what Rosemarie was not. Her children stayed brave through such an ordeal not for a day not a year but Kristen stayed alive through the torture of her horrid evil father for 19 years. Certainly hers is haven. No one can but she has attained it. What a victory for the children who were deprived of their lives. Elisabeth is the wonder woman. Glad she stayed alive to reveal the most evil in human….

Well i’ve never come across Elisabeth’s story before & i’ll appreciate it if you can send it into my box. From the comments i came across i can’t but say “YOU ARE WORTHY OF EMULATION” partaining to your steadfastness.